THE BRIDE OF CHIRST IS HIS PEOPLE

      Ephesians 5 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

      2 Corinthians 11 2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

      Isaiah 54 1. Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the Lord. 2. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; 3. For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; your children shall inherit the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4. Fear not; for you shalt not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shalt not be put to shame: for you shalt forget the shame of your youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. 5. For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. 6. For the Lord has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you. 8. In a little anger I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the Lord your Redeemer. 9. For this is like the waters of Noah to me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, says the Lord that has mercy on you. 11. O you that are afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12. And I will make your windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. 13. And all of children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of your children. 14. In righteousness shall you be established: you shalt be far from oppression; for you shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. 15. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. 16. Behold, I have created the blacksmith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, says the Lord.

      31 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them, says the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.